GOAL reported that Jose Mourinho faced repeated questions about the Vinicius Junior–Yan Diomande selection dilemma at his press conference ahead of a trip to the Mestalla. The issue concerned how he would handle the choice when Vinicius became available.
Diomande fills the void
The Defensa Central network reported that Diomande has filled the void left by teammate Vinicius Junior. Diomande completed six successful dribbles against Valencia.
Vinicius managed only four successful dribbles across his entire run of matches against AEK Athens, Leipzig, Roma, Villarreal, Atletico Madrid, Elche and Rayo Vallecano.
Mourinho puts the team first
Mourinho, the Portuguese coach, said: “For me, the absolute priority is the team. I will never deliberately take a decision that could harm the group for the sake of one particular player.”
What happens when Vinicius is available
Mourinho said: “In the Champions League, this matter could have been raised, but when Vinicius becomes available, I will deal with the situation accordingly.”
The coach’s view of the schedule
Mourinho said: “I want the players to play every match focused on the present, even though, as a coach, I must have a different vision.”
He added: “My responsibility is to assess the series of commitments and matches that await us. The match against AEK Athens was a good opportunity for Vinicius, as well as to give Guler some rest.”
